• International Area Studies Review
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.687-711
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• 2009

This research was conducted to explore the factors that cause medical tourists' dissatisfaction, and find ways to solve the tourists' problems by researching on the relationship between the service recovery and the failure of medical services. Also, the research has put more emphasis on establishing marketing strategies that enable Japanese medical tourists to actively visit Korea, and finding out the effects that the medical tourists satisfaction and trust have on their behavioral intentions, recommendations, and positive feedbacks. The summary of the research analysis results as follows. First, the service recovery after the service failure has positive influences on the medical tourist's satisfaction. Second, the service recovery has proven its positive influences on the tourists' trusts and behavioral intentions. Third, the satisfaction of the service recovery has built the mutual trust between the tourists' and the medical center, and this has positive influences on the customer's behavioral intentions. Finally, the research was conducted to analyze the moderating effects on the relationship between the service recovery and the recovery satisfaction. It was found that the medical service failure recognition type has proven no moderating effects.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.438-447
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• 2012

The objectives of this research are: to provide fundamental data for tourism policy and investigate medical tourism attributes by IPA(Importance-Performance Analysis) to attract Japanese medical tourists to Korea. Utilizing Japanese medical tourists as subjects of inquiry, this study evaluated the importance of medical tourism selection attributes and the rate at which these attributes were performed. Consequently, this study deduced 'convenience, service quality, differentiation, approximation' factors by factor analysis as well as the ranking among each selection attributes using T-test. The importance-performance analysis showed 'Concentrate Here' in quadrant I, 'Keep up the Good Work' in quadrant II, 'Low Priority' in quadrant III and 'Possible Overkill' in quadrant IV. The results show that "Concentrate Here" part in quadrant I is reservation procedure rapidity and information system simplicity. This means that these attributes are very important but they indicate low performance. Thus, concentration among tourism managers should be focused along these attributes. The study, then, suggests that employee who speaks Japanese fluently should be arranged during reservation procedure. Furthermore, Japanese class should become mandatory during basic employee training to improve reservation procedure rapidity. Moreover, clinic websites should concentrate on accessibility of Japanese users in such a way that they can consult their needs on line. Finally, managers should find diverse ways to bring about good service rapidly and conveniently.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.1663-1674
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was a methodological research to develop an instrument to assess the medical tourism satisfaction of foreign tourist. A primary instrument with 63 questions was developed based on literature review. A group of experts revised individual questions and removed 9 irrelevant questions. This secondary instrument, then, was distriuted from Jury 1, 2012 to October 20, 2012. It was tested with 589 members of foreign tourist. After factor analysis on the final 42 questions, 7 factors were identified; quality of medical service, correspondance, tourism connection, sympathy, convenience, believability, and economical efficiency. The total variance explained was 60.9%. This instrument was statistically reliable and valid to measure medical tourism satisfaction of foreign tourist.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.85-89
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• 2012

Objectives : This study is to evaluate the current situation of Japanese tourists for medical tour of Daejeon University hospital and to draw up a plan for better policies. Methods : 59 Japanese tourists visiting oriental medicines hospital of Daejeon University from January 2012 to September 2012, were analysed in the statistics. And 8 of them answer a questionnaire about reasons for selection of Daejeon University hospital, satisfaction for thread embedding therapy and side effects of thread embedding therapy. Results : A total of 59 foreigners visited oriental medicines hospital of Daejeon University for medical service, consisting of 54 females(92 %), the thirties to fifties 71 % by age. The 87.5 % of patients answered that the reason for choosing this hospital was the subsidization of the medical expenses, and 50 % for appropriate payment, 37.5 % for safety, 12.5 % for recommendation of the people who had good experience at this hospital. The 71% of patients selected thread-embedding therapy for treating wrinkles. The degree of satisfaction was evaluated as quite satisfaction of 87.5 %, full satisfaction of 12.5 % showing that a whole number of the patients treated with thread-embedding therapy showed relative satisfaction. This evaluation is, however, a short term survey which should lead to a further term study. For the evaluation of side effects of thread-embedding therapy, 75 % of patients answered as pain occurred during the therapy, 62.5 % as edema, 50 % as hypodermal bleeding. Conclusion : First of all, there should be more constructive promotion and support for medical tour of oriental medicines, ultimately leading to promoting better clusters of oriental medicines. Secondly, support in terms of a medical law should be established for medical disputes, and the best follow-up service should be considered.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.165-190
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• 2010

Objectives : This study was supposed to investigate factors which influence to preference of medical tourism products of Japanese tourists in Seoul, Korea. Methods : Data were collected from 228 Japanese tourists who visited' Seoul Center for Culture & Tourism' in Myeong-dong, Seoul, Korea. We measured factors which influence to preference for medical tourism. The data were analyzed by T-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. Results : The major findings were as follows ; Japanese tourists preferred medical products in the order of skin care, oriental medicine treatment, health screening, and scaling & teeth whitening. They considered technical level of medical staff most importantly, followed by safety of medical products, communication during diagnosis and treatment, follow-up service, modernization of medical facilities and equipment, and the reasonable medical expenses. Japanese tourists' preferred medical institutions in the order of a university hospital, a specialty clinic, a special hospital, They said they intend to pay 50,000 to 150,000 yen for medical tourism. The preference to medical tourism products are that single women group in their twenties and thirties for skin care, married people group aged over thirties preferred oriental medicine treatment, and married men aged over forties and high income earners favored health screening. Conclusions : It should be considered carefully that the preference exists on some factors especially for Japanese tourist. Further research about preference on medical tourism products for tourists from the other countries is required appropriately to fulfill the needs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.77-87
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• 2009

Potential risks of communicable disease outbreaks have significantly increased in the era of global society. However, contingency planning of local governments for communicable diseases is not prepared to the proper level in various governmental sectors of many countries. Human being has been remarkable advances in medical science and public health. However, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) still remains as a very dangerous transmissible disease that has great potential to create catastrophic consequences of casualties. The SARS outbreak between November 2002 and July 2003 resulted in 8,096 known infected cases and 774 deaths with a mortality rate of 9.6% worldwide (WHO, 2004). It is regarded as one of the human health disasters. Since about sixty-six percent of total SARS cases in the world were reported in People's Republic of China, Korean tour industry was significantly affected as a neighboring country. The objective of this research is to investigate major factors of Korea entry data sets, and to analyze economic impacts of Korean tour business interruption due to the period of SARS outbreak with tourist cases of four countries: Japan, U.S.A., China, and Taiwan. Results from this research show the seasonal and long-term trends of entry data sets of four countries, and direct and indirect impacts of SARS to Korean tour industry.